Co-operatives should live up to social dimension

The local co-operative movement needs to make its voice heard and live up to its social dimension, Labour MP Joe Abela said yesterday during a seminar held to mark International Co-operatives Day.

"The co-operative movement needs to find its voice. A movement without a voice is dead. A lifeless movement is not worth anything in the globalised world we live in. Have a look around you and note how often you hear, on the news, statements released by the Federation of Industry and the Chamber of Commerce.

"Note the attention given to them by politicians and the influence they have in all social fields. Note how they stand up for each other. Why aren't we doing the same?" he asked when addressing a full hall during a seminar organised by Apex - the Organisation of Co-operatives (Malta).

The event, held at the Radisson SAS in St Julian's, was one of several organised by co-operatives around the world to celebrate the 84th ICA (International Co-operative Alliance) International Co-operatives Day and the 12th UN International Day of Co-operatives which, this year, had the theme "Peace Building through Co-operatives".

As Mr Abela was about to start his speech a member of a fisheries co-operative, Karmenu Bugeja, stood up to question why Education and Employment Minister Louis Galea, who was to deliver a speech after Mr Abela, had not turned up.

Mr Bugeja added that Dr Galea had not yet signed the documentation authorising the allocation of funds which were still effectively frozen in the Central Co-operative Fund.

Mr Abela expressed his concern at this, then moved on to speak about the role of the co-operative which he praised for managing to give a voice to those ignored by governments.

As he painted a global picture of the role of co-operatives he then focused on the situation in Malta where, he said, the co-operatives movement had strong foundations and had done a lot of good.

However, there did exist problems that had to be tackled. For one thing, there was a need for serious regulation for the Co-operatives Board to get its act together and, for example, ensure that co-operatives that were not generating business were not allowed to form part of the movement.

He then urged that co-operative movement to make its voice heard and live up to its social dimension.

Apex president Peter Morales and council member John Mallia stressed the importance of co-operation between co-operatives.

"Maltese co-operatives mean business and, although many perceive them as charitable institutions, their priority is business with the social aspect running parallel," Mr Mallia said.

Apex's new Website (www.apex.coop) was also launched. Mr Mallia urged all co-operatives to contribute regularly to the site by sending in any items of interest as, he said, the site could only truly be alive with co-operation and participation by all co-operatives.